Handwheel operated mechanism



Oct. 19, 1937. A. F. OCONNOR HANDWHEEL OPERATED MECHANISM Filed Feb. 4, 1935 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 V 1 UNHTED STATES PATENT, OFFICE HANDWHEEL OPERATED MECHANISM Arthur F. OConnor, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Union Asbestos & Rubber Company, Chicago, 111., a. corporation of Illinois Application February 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,727

is Claims. (01. 74 552) My invention relates, in general, to protection Figure 5 is an elevation view illustrating a devices and has more particular reference to a modified form of the guard means; safety device or attachment, for use in conjunc- Figure 6 is a perspective View illustrating a tion with apparatus embodying a hand wheel, to modified form of the invention, wherein the guard 5 prevent the operator from insertingahand or arm means comprises an integral part of the release between the spokes of the wheel'with possible lever; and J resulting injury in the event that the hand Figure '7 is a perspective view illustrating a Wheel is forcibly rotated by the mechanism with modified form of the integral guard means and which it is associated. lever. M

10 The invention more specifically relates to the To illustrate my invention, I have shown on 10 application of safety means, of the character the drawing a mechanism comprising a hand mentioned, in mechanism embodying a hand wheel I I and an adjacently mounted hand lever wheel and an operating device, such as a. lever, l3, and the invention compris the. Provision located adjacent and behind the hand wheel, in of guard means l5 for preventing the manipulasuch position that the operator may be tempted tion of the lever by insertion of .ahand or arm 1.3

to insert a hand or arm between the spokes of between the spokes of the wheel II. the wheel in manipulating the adjacently located While I have shown the invention as applied operating device; and the invention has for an in ec a C -p the Winding g for important object the provision of guard means in tensioning railroad brakes, it will be obvious that position to prevent manipulation of the operatthe invention is not necessarily restricted to rail- 20 ing device by insertion of a hand or arm be- W y r n ins mechanism, but y be ptween the spokes of the wheel, I plied wherever it is desired to prevent the opera- Another important object is to form, the guard tion of a manually operable element by insertion means as an integral part of the operating device r Of a a d or a m in adangerous position, as be- 7 or lever to prevent manipulation of the lever by tween Spokes Of a; d W eel which is liable the insertion of hand or arm between the spokes torbe rotated u y an W t eo s derableforce of an adjacently mounted hand h 1, by the mechanism with whichit is associated. Another important object i to f r the guard Since this danger condition is inherent in the means so as to provide a stop for limiting the hand Wheel Operated a w y e s i operating movement of the 1 mechanism, I have illustrated such a device in 39 Another important object is to provide a mecha- Order, to d t at y Present i vention. nism of the character mentioned having a lever The railway brak nsi nin ha sm formed with means affording astop for limiting Shown Comprises a casing n, p d 130 be the operating movement of the lever. mounted i operatihgipoeitioll 0h v e d f a A still further object is to provide guard means raihead a The h s U i s m ch of the character mentioned and adapted for ati m for d aw n a a e s ns.e ement 9 tachment as a fitting on existing mechanisms into e Casing in r sp ns t t e otation of the without changing the same, hand wheel. ll, so asto apply the brakes of the Numerou other bje t advantages d i car the tensioning-element I9 being connected 4Q herent functions of the invention will be apparent t the brake rigging r T meehanism'also in- 40 from the following description, which, taken in cludes p means within the casing I1 r reconnection with the accompanying drawing, distainihgthe tehsiohl'ng mechanism in pcloses selected embodiments of the invention. plied position, Said p means being operable Referring to the drawing: by the lever ..l3 to release the. mechanism in order 5 Figure l is an elevation view of a railroad brake epe it the brakes to release. tensioning mechanism including a hand wheel I have not illustrated the internal mechanism and a release lever and provided with protective Wi h the Casing Since the Same may be y means in accordance with my present invention; suitable or well known tensioning device, such as Figure 2 is a side view of the device shown is shown in my (lo-p i pp t n; Serial 5 in Figure 1; r Number 711,154, filed February 14,1934. 7 V Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a In such amechanism,.the lever position shown modified form of the release lever and guard in solid lines in the drawing is that occupied by means; I the lever in holding the mechanism inthe brake- Figure 4 is an elevation view illustrating 'a on positionQinrwhich the member [9 is'under modified form of the guard means; maximum tension. In order to release the brakes} 55 it is necessary to throw the lever l3, toward the left, viewing Figures 1, 4, and 5, and when this is done the tension on the member !9 causes the hand wheel H to rotate and with considerable force. If the operator, in manipulating the lever I 3, has inserted an arm between the spokes of the wheel, it will be obvious that the sudden forceful rotation of the wheel may result in injury to the operator. Not only may the limb-of the operator be broken or otherwise injured, but the force of the rotating wheel may be sufficient to throw the operator from the car and accidents of this character have frequently occurred in thepast.

In order to provide for the prevention of accidentsof this character, I provide means for preventing the operator from manipulating the lever l3, when the same isiin the brake-applied positectiondevice l5 comprises a plate-like element adapted for attachment on the casing in position to extend between the plane of the wheel and the handle l3, when the same is atleast in its brake on position. The handle '13, in the illustrated embodiments, comprises a portion 2|, overlying the face of the casing I1, and a grasping portion 23 offset with respect to the portion 2| in positionextending opposite the top of .the casing, the portions 2! and 23beingconnected by means of a leverportion 25.

The guard means may be mounted. in any convenient manner to extend between the wheel and the lever and while I have shown the guard mounted on the casing in Figures 1 through 5 and on the lever in Figures 6 and 7, it will be obvious that the guard may be mounted otherwise than as shown. I prefer, however, to avoid mounting the guard on the hand wheel-in order to maintain the weight of the wheel at a minimum, particularlywhere the, same comprises a part of a winding device. When ahand brake of the character herein described is set, the chain I9 is subjected to a tension of the order of sev eral thousand pounds. When the mechanism is the latching or on; position, thus locking the winding mechanism against unwinding move-, ment. Any, increase in the weight ,of the handwheel, particularly, at theperiphery thereof, will a increase the strain placed upon the mechanism fastening devices 3|.

when the wheel is suddenly stopped so that by avoiding arrangement of, the guard on the wheel, I reduce the chance of damaging the mechanism during operation'of the same.

As shown in Figures 1 through 5, the guard I5 comprises a plate-like portion 21, haying flanges 29, by means of which the same may .be connected on the casing I! in any suitable fashiona's by the also is or may be notched or perforated as at 33 to permit the connecting portion of the lever to extendthrough the plate at leastwhen the lever viewing said figure.

The plate-like portion 21' aoeaose in one edge of the plate, so that, when the lever is in the brake-releasing position, no part of the same will be within the marginal confines of the guard plate. Since there is no particular danger of injury to the operator, through sudden rotation of the hand wheel during manipulation of the lever when the same is in the brake-released position, it is not essential to extend the" guard plate to prevent manipulation of the lever between the spokes of the wheel when in the brakereleased position. However, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, I may so extend the plate, in which event the opening 33 is contained entirely within the marginal confines of the guard plate. It will be noted that, in such a case, the shape of the opening 33 is such as to permit the lever 25 to travel unobstructedlyv within said opening from the brake-applied to the brake-released position. It is also within the contemplation of my present invention to utilize the slotted plate as stop means for limiting the movement of the. lever.

As shown in Figure 4, the flange portion '29 is shaped to fit the top or crown of the casing I1. In Figure 5, the flange portions 29 engage the forward face of the casing'll', while in the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and '3, the guard has portions 29"seating on and secured to the face'of the casing H and a flange or brace 35 having a portion, 31 adapted to seat on and be secured to the top of the casing adjacent one side thereof. I

In Figures 6 and '7 ,I have shown'a modified arrangement wherein the guard forms an integral portion of the lever l3. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 the guard 15 comprises a plate-like element 39 formed with a forwardly rearwardly offset portion adapted to function as the handle portion 23of the lever. The plate 39,

however, is of such size that it will prevent access to the handle portion 23 between thespokesof the handwheel and the plate may be,,and preferably,

is, formed along its loweredge adjacent the offset portion, forming the, base of the lever, to conform with the crown of the casing l1 as at 4| so that the plate will bear upon the crown of the casing whereby to support the lever in thebrake on position as shown in Figure 6. To release the brake mechanism itis merely necessary to throw the lever I3, shown in Figure 6, toward the left,

Figure I illustrates almodified form of the integral lever and guard plate 39, the lever in this instance being similar in form to the stand ard levers illustratedin Figures 1 through 5, but having a fan-like extension, forming the. plate 39, formed on the lever portion 2|,s'o that the plate 39 extends in positionin front of the handle portion and will prevent any attempt to grasp and manipulate the same byinsertion of a handor arm between the spokes of an adjacent handwheel extending in front of said handle.

It is thought'that theinvention and numerous that numerous 'chang'es'may be made inthe form, construction, and arrangement .of' the several parts without departing from the spirit'or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein described b g Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The combination, with a device comprising a frame forming a housing, operable mechanism supported on the frame in position enclosed within said housing and a manually operable mechanism control element on the frame in position extending outwardly of said housing, of a handwheel for driving said mechanism, said handwheel being drivingly connected with said operable mechanism and mounted adjacent the control element outwardly of said housing, said control element extending between said handwheel and said housing and means mounted on said device in position to prevent manipulation of the control element by the insertion of a member between the spokes of the handwheel.

2. In a mechanism comprising a frame element, a handwheel on said frame element and having an opening, and a manually operable element supported on the frame element adjacent the handwheel and between the handwheel and the frame element, the combination of guard means supported on one of said elements in position to prevent manipulation of the operable element by the insertion of a member through said opening of the wheel.

3. In a mechanism comprising a frame, a handwheel on said frame and having an opening, and a manually operable element suppoited adjacent the handwheel and between the handwheel and said frame, the combination of guard means comprising a plate-like element mounted on and supported by said frame in position extending between the handwheel and said manually operable element to prevent manipulation of the element by the insertion of a member through the opening of the wheel.

4. In a mechanism comprising a frame, a handwheel on said frame and having an opening, and a manually operable element supported adjacent and behind said handwheel, the combination of guard means formed integrally on said operable element in position to prevent manipulation of the element by the insertion of a member through the opening of the wheel.

5. In a mechanism comprising a frame, a handwheel on said frame and having an opening, and a manually operable element shiftable on said frame and extending adjacent and behind the handwheel, the combination of guard means supported from said frame in position to prevent manipulation of the operable element by the insertion of a member through said opening in the wheel, said guard means serving also to limit the movement of said element on the frame.

6. In a mechanism comprising a frame having a forward face and a crown-like top, a handwheel onsaid frame and extending in front of the face thereof, said handwheel having an opening, and a manually operable element shiftable on the frame, and having a portion extending in front of said face and a grasping portion extending above said crown-like top and opposite the opening of said wheel, the combination of means on said element for limiting its movement on said frame and for preventing manipulation of the same by the insertion of a member through the opening in the wheel.

'7. In a mechanism comprising a frame having a forward face and a crown-like top, a handwheel on said frame and extending in front of the face thereof, said handwheel having an opening, and a manually operable element shiftable on the frame, and having a portion'extending in front of said face and a grasping portion extend-V able elementrshiftable on the frame and having f a portion extending in front of said face and a grasping portion extending opposite the opening ofsaid wheel, the combination of means comprising a plate-like element carried in position to prevent manipulation of the shiftable element.

by insertion of a member through the opening of the wheel, said plate-like means having an opening for receiving said element whereby said element may extend withits grasping portion disposed on the side of the plate-like element opposite from said hand wheel.

9. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 8, wherein the frame has a crown-like top opposite the grasping portion of said manually operable element and said plate-like means comprises an attachment secured to the crown-like top'of the frame.

10. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 8, wherein said plate-like means comprises an attachment secured to the face of said frame in position extending between the handwheel and the grasping portion of the operable element.

11. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 8, wherein the frame has a crown-like top opposite the grasping portion of said manually operable element and said plate-like means comp-rises an attachment having a portion secured to the face of said frame in position extending between the handwheel and the grasping portion of the operable element, and a bracing portion secured to the top of said frame.

12. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the integrally formed guard comprises an extension of a portion of the operable element.

13. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 4, wherein the guard comprises a force-transmitting portion of the operable element. 7 14. In a mechanism comprising a frame form ing a housing, tensioning means on the frame for the operation of brake mechanism, said tensioning means comprising means within said housing, a handwheel drivingly connected with said winding means and extending outwardly'of said housing and manually operable for tightening the tensioning means, said handwheel having an opening therein and being disposed in spaced relationship in front of a wall of said housing, and a manually operable device comprising a lever' controlling releasable latch means for securing the tensioning means in brake-applying position, said lever extending outwardly of said housing and between said housing and the handwheel, and a plate-like guard supported in position between the handwheel and said housing to prevent manipulation of the lever by insertion of a member through the opening in said handhandwheel. on said housing extending outwardly thereof andhavin'g an Opening, and a manually.

operableelement shiftable on the housing behind said handwheel and between the handwheel and the housing, said operable element having a grasping portion extending opposite the opening of said wheel, the combination of means comprising a plate-like element carried by the housing in position to prevent manipulation of the shiftable element by insertion of a member through the opening of the Wheel, said manually operable element being supported in position whereby the same may'extend with its grasping portion disposed on the side of the plate-like element opposite from said handwheel.

16. In a mechanism comprising a housing having a handwheel extending outwardly of a wallof said housing and having an opening, and 'a manually operable element shiftable on the hous ing behind said handwheel and between the handwheel and the housing, said operable element having a grasping portion extending opposite the opening of said wheel, the combination with said housing of guard means extending in position to prevent manipulation of the manually operable element by theinsertion of a member through the opening of the wheel, said guard having poitions positioned between said wheel and the grasping portion of the manually operable element.

1'7. In a mechanism comprising a housing having a handwheel extending outwardly of a wall of said housing and having an opening,'and a manually operable element shiftable on the housing behind said handwheel and between the handwheel and the housing, said operable element handwheel extending opposite, a wall of said hous--- ing, said handwheel havinga rim, a hub and spaced spokes interconnecting the rim andhub and defining openings between the rim, hub and spokes, and a manually operable element shift: able on said housing and between the handwheel and the housing; said operable element having,

ing, the combination of means comprising a plate-like element extending in position between said wheel and said element toprevent operation of the element by insertion of a member throughsaid opening, said plate-like means'having an edge extending opposite the rim of the wheel and extending inwardly of said edge to substantially completely block access to said element through said opening between the spokes.

ARTHUR FVOCONNOR.

V a grasping portion extending'opposite said open- 

